Hôtel de la Monnaie (Paris)

2016 Grant of $40,000 – Atlanta, Washington Regional Chapters
Established in 864, the Monnaie de Paris is the longest-standing French institution. It mints euro coins in circulation for France, and coins for other foreign currencies. For twelve centuries, it has cultivated a venerable tradition of metalworking arts and crafts and is a member of the Comité Colbert which brings together French luxury companies. It was developed a large-scale project to showcase know-how going back hundreds of years and a heritage site covering over one hectare built on the banks of the Seine.
The restoration concerns the square-shaped chapel at the heart of the Monnaie de Paris. Its painted décor in trompe l’oeil was recently discovered during restoration of the site. The chapel consisted of a gallery of eight ionic columns separating the two side tribunes. It occupied the full height of the building, taking the light from a lantern window above a cloister vault ceiling. Architecture and ornamentation are inextricably linked as architect Antoine's invention was based on the fact that each architectural element was doubled by a trompe-l'oeil. The walls of the chapel were punctuated by false columns between which was featured a grisaille decoration representing allegories. The restoration work will be visible to the public as it progresses.
Restoration: 18th-century mural paintings in the chapel discovered during restoration